Our dog must keep its entire body clean to avoid illnesses. Ear hygiene is very necessary to avoid infections.
Ears are a very important part of our pets, we must keep them clean to avoid possible diseases and ear infections. Below we will give you the necessary guidelines to achieve perfect hygiene in your dog’s ears.
How to clean your ears:
Your dog may not like ear cleaning, but it is still necessary and should be made a must. It is best to get your pet used to ear cleaning from a young age, reward him with a dog treat after each ear cleaning, and pet him while you perform the hygiene.
Cleaning the outer, and usually hairy, part of the ears is not particularly difficult. A towel moistened with warm water and your pet’s usual shampoo is usually enough. The product is then carefully removed and dried with a towel.
The pink, bare part of the auricle and the inner portions require a little more attention. A clean gauze is the appropriate material for this cleaning (never cotton buds): cover your finger with the gauze and insert your finger very gently inside the ear, taking care not to touch the bottom. The contact of the gauze with the walls cleans any wax residue that may have accumulated.
There are specific products to help us with the animal’s ear hygiene. Ear cleaners help the wax residue to dissolve in the product. This type of cleaner is usually sold with an applicator, which helps to cover all areas of the inner ear, even the less accessible ones.
To use this type of product correctly and achieve perfect ear hygiene for your pet, follow these guidelines:
– STEP 1
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after ear cleaning.
– STEP 2
Apply a small amount of ear-cleaning solution into the ear canal. Do not force the nozzle of the bottle into the ear canal as this can cause significant damage, only the tip of the bottle should be inserted into the canal. Once you have the solution in the ear, you should massage the base of the ear to encourage distribution through the canal.
– STEP 3
Take a cotton ball and rub the inside of your ear to remove any debris or wax buildup. When the base of your ear is clean, you can use the soaked cotton balls or a damp, soaked cloth to wipe the ear towards the end.
To protect your puppy’s delicate hearing, it is a good idea to block the passage of water and soap inside the ear canals to prevent water from entering and harming the dog.
How often should you clean your ears:
To know how often you should clean your puppy’s ears, you have to take into account the type of breed it is and the physiognomy of its ears.
For a dog with long ears, they should be cleaned at least once a week, since the internal canals of a dog’s ear form an intricate labyrinth of twisting canals. This tangle explains why it is not always easy for your pet to air out its canals.
If, on the other hand, your dog has short or cropped ears, you can space out the cleanings. Ear hygiene should be performed every 15-20 days.
Possible diseases arising from lack of cleanliness:
Failure to clean your dog’s ears can lead to illnesses and infections that damage your pet’s hearing. If you notice that your puppy is scratching his ears too much, shaking his head, or has a lot of earwax, check his ears for any inflammation, wounds, or irritation. If so, you should go to the vet to make sure it’s not serious.
The most common diseases caused by a dog’s lack of ear cleaning are: otitis, external ear infections, and wounds in the ear canal.
Hearing disorders in dogs:
Inner ear infections in any dog begin in the outer or middle ear and travel inward, but they are not common. Vestibular syndrome is a disease in which the nerve cells that connect the inner ear to the cerebellum in dogs become inflamed. The disease can develop at any time, from a couple of days to several weeks.
If your dog’s ears are short, they should be cleaned every 15 or 20 days.
The worst disease that can arise from a dirty ear is conductive deafness, which is when there is a failure in the transmission of vibration to the inner ear and the nervous system.
If you want to take care of your pet’s health, you should not forget to clean your dog’s ears frequently and maintain perfect hygiene. Check their ears regularly and if you notice anything irregular, do not hesitate to go to the vet.